A DEDICATED knitter from Abingdon has made more than 200 tiny baby hats for premature and special needs babies at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

Carole Salisbury, has taught children with dyslexia at the Unicorn School in the town for more than 20 years, but found herself with time on her hands when she semi-retired last year.

Her daughter Hannah Salisbury, who works as an Oxford University researcher at the John Radcliffe Hospital site in Oxford, said: "She turned up at my work one day in around mid-2016 with a bag of knitted baby hats for the hospital.

“They loved them and now every few weeks she comes in with more bags full of hats."

The 32-year-old said she was proud of her mother's creations adding: "I just think it is wonderful that she is using a skill she already has to do these things to help other people."

Not satisfied with producing hundreds of baby hats, Mrs Salisbury has also in the past made 'Knitted Knockers' – lightweight and comfortable bra inserts for women that have had mastectomies due to breast cancer.

The great-grandmother does all this despite having arthritis in both hands that makes knitting a challenge.

She said: "I'm one of those people who can't sit still unless they have something to do with their hands.

"They are the perfect thing to do while I'm watching TV."

Her hats have most recently been used by the children of family friends Sam and Gareth Roper.

Their twins Owen and Leo, who were delivered at the John Radcliffe’s women’s centre on November 23, were norn 8 weeks premature and little Leo weighed just 2lbs 6oz.

Mrs Salisbury said: "It's really lovely for me to see them being used and they are so much nicer than the cotton ones provided by the hospital.

"They are such simple things to make but they can have a big impact."